


Initials

by SelfEE



Category: Little House on the Prairie (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-25
Updated: 2021-02-25
Packaged: 2021-03-16 18:01:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,797
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29704443
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SelfEE/pseuds/SelfEE
Summary: While clearing up the wood from the ruins of the first Wilder farm, Charles finds the remains of a carving that Almanzo left on a tree on the property. He fixes it up and surprises Almanzo and Laura with it. He also presents them with a cutting of a certain plant. A one shot. Story complete in one chapter





	Initials

Initials

Almanzo, Charles, Albert and James were out by the ruins of the Wilder farm, collecting as much firewood as they could. There was only one reason on Almanzo’s mind as they all sorted through all that loose wood. He was hoping to find the initials M + B that he had carved in a tree last year when Beth had told him that she loved him. 

“Beth, I don’t want anyone to find that tree,” he told her during breakfast the next morning. “You know how embarrassing it would be for anyone except you or me to find those initials?”

Laura frowned. “Well,” she said, staring at him, “if you didn’t want anyone else to find them, why the heck did you carve them in the first place.”

Almanzo turned to look at her. He stood up and put his arms around her shoulders and swayed her back and forth. “I fell in love for the first time in my life, you loved me back and I was so happy. For heaven’s sake, Beth, it was just somethin’ I had to do. It was a spur of the moment thing. I never even thought about it until I stepped back to look at it.”

“And then you tried to cross it out,” Laura said, shaking her head. “If you thought it was such a dumb idea, why did you even bother?” 

“Why does anyone do these things, Laura? Why did you do it? You and Albert were supposed to be fishing. Did you want him to find out that you carved our initials in that tree? Did you tell him about what you did? I mean, hey, that was the day we first….” 

His voice trailed off. He stared at her, a slow smile starting at the corners of his mouth. “That was the day that we first met, wasn’t it?”

Almanzo looked in her eyes, waiting for an answer, which, by the way, never came.

“You can’t tell me, can you?”

“It was just something I had to do,” Laura said. “And yes, it was the day we first met. I was so happy and excited that I..”

Almanzo’s smile got wider. He looked at her and nodded his head. “Same answer as mine, right?”

She nodded. “Same answer,” she told him, smiling at him.

The two of them stared at each other.

“Are you sure that the storm knocked it down?” she asked, changing the subject.

Almanzo nodded. “It was the tallest tree on the property,” he said, kissing her lightly before he sat down again. “It was the one nearest the barn.”

“It could have splintered into bits and pieces, Manly,” 

He looked at her and shook his head. “I hadn’t even thought about that,” he said, his mouth full of eggs and toast. “Maybe I should have.”

He handed her the empty plate. “Do you have any more of these? Beth, these scrambled eggs are the best you’ve ever made. What’s in ‘em anyway?”

Laura grabbed his plate, picked up the frying pan and filled it with what little was left. She placed the plate on the table and looked at him with a smile. “Where do you put it all, Manly. This is your third helping. That’s it, the frying pan is empty. ”

“I know where you can get more eggs.”

“MANLY!”

They both laughed, hugging and kissing each other. 

XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

“Well,” Charles Ingalls said as he looked first at his wife and then at the block of wood in front of them, “What do you think?”

“Charles, you know what those initials stand for?”

“Of course I do, Caroline. Almanzo showed them to us the night after we came back from Wisconsin. I asked him to make me that heart with our initials inside.”

Caroline nodded. “And he made one for himself and Laura.”

“You’re going to do what you said you were?”

Charles nodded. “It won’t take long. All I have to do is shape up the block of wood and put it in the frame to give them. “He looked down at the initials inside the heart. “He told me the M + B looked the same, except for those lines over on the right side.”

“Charles? I have a question.”

“Go ahead,” he said, picking up the wood. 

“I was always wondering why you let Mary get married at sixteen and you told Laura to wait until she was eighteen?”

Charles looked at his wife. “Caroline, Mary and Laura are two different people. “

“Tell me something I don’t know, Charles. Go on and tell me that Mary acts older than Laura does. Tell me that John Jr wasn’t ten years older than Mary and Laura was too young for Almanzo, even though she told you that she loved him and was sure that they would marry. Tell me that you were more comfortable with John Jr. than you were with Almanzo. Tell me that Almanzo grew on you because you two spend so much time….”

“Alright,” Charles said, looking at Caroline. “That’s enough, you win.” He smiled and wrapped his arms around Caroline’s waist. He pulled her close and kissed her. “I was wrong about the two of them.” 

Caroline smiled. “Which two are we talking about?”

“You know darn well who and their initials are M + B.” Charles put his arm around his wife’s shoulders. “By the way, what the heck do you mean that Almanzo grew on me?" 

“CHARLES,” she scolded as they headed toward the bedroom.

XXXXXXXXXXXXX 

“Beth?”

“I’m right next to you, Manly. I just put Rose to sleep.”

He picked up what he was making for Charles and Caroline.

“Do you think they would like this? It’s just a few tokens to remember us by.”

Laura took the four round wooden pieces in her hands and examined them. There was one for each one of them. Almanzo, Laura, Rose and the last one contained all three names together.

She smiled. “Manly, they’re beautiful,” she said, handing them back. “Are you going to put some leather ties….”

Almanzo smiled and picked them up to show her. “Are you talkin’ about these?” 

Laura laughed and ran into his arms. “I guess you’re the mind reader now.”

“No,” Manly answered as he wrapped his arms around her. “That honor belongs to you. I only do it once in a while.”

He released her and they both smiled at one another. “Come on, it’s gettin’ late,” he told her, putting his arm across her shoulder. “It’s time for bed.”

And the two of them walked toward their own little house; arm in arm.

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

“When are you leaving?” Almanzo asked, looking at Charles. They were standing outside on the small outside porch, staring out at the prairie grass waving lazily in the wind.

“As soon as the two of you are settled in,” Charles said, lighting his pipe. He looked up at the clear, starry sky. “I promised you and Half Pint. I also want to make sure the Carters have everything they need. Caroline knows and agrees with me. Albert is old enough and fully capable to handle any situation. I’m not worried. They will leave next week and I’ll meet them there once everything is done here. I figure around the middle of January or later. We’ll be alright, Almanzo.”

“Well, you write and let us know. Beth and I will miss you all of you. You’ve been a big help to both of us. I owe you and Caroline my life. I never properly thanked you for taking us in and caring for us when we needed you the most. ”

“You’re part of our family, “Charles and smiled. “I would never leave any part of family out in the cold.”

“I’ve been wrong about you, Almanzo,” he continued. “I should have realized that when you asked my permission to marry Laura. You’re smart and the hardest working young man I’ve ever known. And you’re true to your word. I know now that you’ll take care of my daughter and keep her happy.”

Almanzo smiled. “I love your daughter, Charles and I would do anything for her. I want you to know that. And I also want you to know that I was wrong about you. I should have known you had our best interests at heart, especially Laura’s. I am really grateful for everything you’ve done for us.”

The two looked at one another and smiled.

Almanzo let some time pass before he turned to Charles. “You know, it’s really funny that you came up with the same idea that I had?”

Charles frowned. “What idea was that?”

Almanzo looked surprised. “The round wooden pieces with our names and initials on it. The ones you can use for anything?”

Charles smiled and nodded. 

“Anyway,” Almanzo continued. I really wanted to thank you for finding our initials, Pa, and thanks for putting them in that frame. It means so much to me that you were the one to find them. I already have a spot on the wall all ready. I was wondering if someone found them. I was a little embarrassed by carving them in the first place.”

Charles smiled and clapped him on the back. “Never be ashamed of anything you do, son. Never regret it, either. You did what you did. You make a mistake, if it was a mistake, and you learn. Just keep going on, Almanzo. You’re not perfect.”

“I just never thought I could ever do something like that.” Almanzo told him. “You know, it’s funny how Beth always quotes your words of wisdom. I guess now I have something to remember and share.” 

Charles grabbed him and pulled him close. They stood that way for a moment, both of them with tears falling down their cheeks.

“Hey, you two,” Laura called out. “Dessert and coffee are on the table.”

“Those homemade doughnuts are delicious, Charles,” Almanzo said, as they parted. “We finished out the entire batch of them and Beth made plenty. You’ve got to try them before I finish out this batch all by myself.”

Charles nodded his head. “And with that appetite of yours, I wouldn’t doubt it,”

Almanzo smiled. “You’re right, that’s the reason I mentioned it. I wouldn’t be surprised if you had more than one yourself.”  
“I’m sure you’re right. You know, the two of you two really fixed the place up beautifully,” Charles told Almanzo as he opened up the door for him.

“Oh, and we brought one more thing for both of you to take care of.”

“What’s that?” Almanzo asked.

“A cutting from a geranium,” Charles said as Almanzo’s eyes went wide.

“I don’t believe you did that?” he answered as Charles smiled and then closed the door quietly behind him.


End file.
